TEARS

LIS watched the mainland turned into a sea of fire. Thanks to his ultimate spell, the buildings, including the magicians were safe. The fire burned the Shadows and . . . his friend.

"No! Croissant!"

Hinigpitan niya ang pagkakayakap sa humahagulhol na Pahima. Tinanggap niya lahat ng mga suntok at sampal nito. Nanatili siyang tahimik dahil hindi niya alam kung anong mga salita ang magpapagaan dito o kung mayroon ba dahil siya rin mismo ay nagluluksa.

'I'll die sooner anyway. Please, keep her safe. Promise me.'

Napakagat siya sa pang-ibabang labi habang nagpabalik-balik sa isipan ang mga huling salita ni Cross. Hanggang sa humupa ang apoy, doon niya lang napagpasyahang bumaba.

Pahima pushed him and ran towards the lone Cell, checking if Cross might be inside, waiting for them. But no. He knew better they couldn't see him anymore.

He fell down the ground when the numbness started overtaking his body. Napalibutan ang buong Faegika ng berdeng liwanag nang unti-unti nang naging mga alikabok ang mga higanteng ugat na ginawa niya. His ultimate spell was slowly dispersing, but he didn't even have the energy to appreciate the disappearing roots. Instead, he gazed at the dark sky, never wanting to look down. Not until he could keep his emotions in.

It wasn't the right time to burst out. Not yet.

"Lis!"

Lis heard heavy footsteps coming to his directions. Mabilis nitong hinawakan ang kaniyang kuwelyo at sinigawan siya. "Where is he? W-where is Croissant! Sumagot ka!"

He looked at Pahima and let out a smile. A smile that he used to show everyone. "Stop crying. Cross won't like it if he sees you looking like a mess."

Hindi nito pinansin ang sinabi at niyugyog ang kaniyang balikat. "Nasaan siya sabi, e! I want to see him!" Habol-habol nito ang paghinga habang tuloy-tuloy pa rin sa pag-agos ang mga luha sa mga mata.

He wanted to dry her tears, but did he have the right to do it?

Umiling siya.

Inalis niya ang pagkakahawak nito sa kaniya. "Pahima, listen." Hindi niya kayang tingnan ang mga mata nitong puno ng hinagpis. "The thing we saw. The thing burst earlier, that's a self-destruction spell. And Cross . . ." Napalunok siya, pinipigilan ang sariling pumiyok. "And Cross did that to save you."

Napabagsak si Pahima matapos niyang bitiwan ang mga kataga. Paulit-ulit itong umiling at ayaw tanggapin ang mga sinabi niya. Pero kahit gustuhin man niyang magsinungaling, hinding-hindi niya na maibabalik pa ang nangyari.

Wala na ang kaibigan niya. Wala na si Cross.

"I'm sorry." His apology would never get anyone better. Not Pahima and not even himself.

Suddenly, a drop of water touched his nose. Nasundan pa ng isa kaya muling napaangat ang tingin niya sa kalangitan. It's raining—not too heavy and not too light. It was enough for them to be soaked and feel the coldness clothed their skin.

He smiled once again.

"Pahima, look." He called her attention. "These are the tears of a Phoenix. When the rain pours after an S-gene self-destructs, it means they died with happiness." He catched some droplets on his palm.

Pinanood naman siya ni Pahima. He tried to make his smile bigger. Brighter. And lighter.

He wanted to cheer her up.

"Although we lost him, he left with happiness. He's happy that he met you. And he's happy that he could save you. So, don't be too sad, okay?"

Hindi sumagot si Pahima ngunit ginaya nito ang ginawa niya. She opened her hand and let the droplets fill her palms. Tuloy pa rin ang pag-iyak ng babae. Kahit na hindi niya napatahan ito, sana kahit papaano ay napagaan niya ang dala-dala nitong sakit.

She lost the man she loved. Despite knowing that her man died happily, that would never change the fact that she lost him. And nothing could bring him back again.

Nanatili pa rin ang mga ngiti sa labi niya hanggang sa dumating sina Aster at Aryl. Kita niya ang natigilang mukha ng kaibigan nang maintindihan nito kaagad ang nangyari.

No. Alam na nito bago pa makarating sa kanila.

Inutusan niya ang dalawa na dalhin si Pahima sa loob ng Cell nito.

Nang tuluyang makapasok ang tatlo, kaagad na naglaho ang ngiti sa kaniyang mga labi.

He lied.

The tears of a Phoenix didn't symbolise happiness. When the rain poured at the location where an S-gene self-destructs, it meant he was struggling. He was in pain. He wanted to survive. Cross wanted to live more. He wanted to be with them. He wanted to be with the woman he loves.

He didn't want to die.

Ang mga luhang kanina niya pa pinigilan ay tuluyan nang bumagsak. Sinapok niya nang paulit-ulit ang noo sa lupa upang tanggalin ang inis at pagsisisi sa puso niya, ngunit parang hindi man lang ito nakunan at dumoble lang ang bigat.

'I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.'

Alam niya sa sarili niyang kaya niyang talunin ang mga Shadow kung nasa kaniya lang ang Dragon Stone. Alam niyang malakas siya. Alam na alam niya iyon pero wala man lang siyang ibang nagawa kundi hayaan ang kaibigan niyang wasakin ang sarili para sa kaligtasan nila.

He didn't ask to be protected. Not from his friends. Not from his rival. And especially, not in this way.

It was all his fault. Defeating them wasn't possible with his current state. Walang silbi ang lakas niya kung wala ang Dragon Stone niya.

Napahawak siya sa kaniyang tiyan nang sumuka siya ng dugo. Unti-unti rin siyang nakaramdam ng paninikip sa dibdib. Pakiramdam niya sasabog sa sikip ang puso niya. Hindi siya makahinga. Hindi rin siya makapag-isip dahil binabasag na sa sakit ang ulo niya.

Lis screamed as the rain covered the volume of his voice. Ilang ulit niyang pinagsusuntok ang dibdib at sinambutan ang sarili. Hindi niya pinansin ang mga nalalagas na hibla at patuloy pa rin sa ginagawa.

The pain that was pulling him to death just made him feel more miserable. He had become a weakling. A failure.

He lost his friend. He lost his rival. And he broke his promise to Yeyi. What would he say after he returned?

Lis couldn't fulfill it anymore.

He was nothing without his Dragon Stone. He was unworthy to lead. He was unworthy to be chief.

If he could just turn back time, he would be willing to sacrifice everything. He would be willing to lose himself if it meant the people that he cared for would live.

"Master!" Footsteps closing in but he didn't bother to look.

He stayed on the ground. His hair painted with pink and lavender had been turned into the color of a mud. He couldn't lift himself up. He was ashamed to look at Aster.

He knew Aster very well and he was probably trying hard to hold down his tears. He didn't just let his rival die, but he also caused the people around him to be in pain. Aster had suffered enough and now he just added another one.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Aster." His voice was shaking. Wala na siyang lakas pang tumayo. Tuyong-tuyo na ang lalamunan niya. Hindi niya na rin magawang maramdaman ang mga kamay ni Aster na pilit siyang hinihila patayo.

May isa pang presensya ang umalalay sa kaniya ngunit hindi na niya nagawang tingnan ito dahil tuluyan na siyang hinila ng kadiliman.

KNOCKS. Lis heard knocks but he couldn't see any door. Nakatayo ba siya?Nakaupo? Hindi siya sigurado dahil wala siyang maramdaman at makita. Tanging kadiliman lang ang bumabalot sa kaniya nang buo.

Saan nanggagaling ang mga katok? Nasaan siya?

"Am I dead?"

"Lis! Hibi!" A voice echoed, but he couldn't point where it came from.

"Hibi?"

A tiny laugh melted like a song in the ears of Lisianthus. It was the sweetest. It brought peace to his conflicted heart, and he wanted to hear it more. Who owned that voice?

"Who are you?" he spoke through the darkness.

"Lis! Hibi!"

"Who are you calling Hibi?"

The more he became curious, the place suddenly became denser. He was starting to feel again. The gravity that he couldn't comprehend earlier had been washed out. His feet was now standing on a ground.

"Hibi!" The sweetest voice he yearned to hear more spoke again. And this time, something bumped at his feet.

Kasabay ng pagyuko, ang pagliwanag din ng paligid. Doon niya nasilayan ang pusa na may itim na balahibo. Napangiti siya at kinarga ito.

"Weird." He chuckled. It was the first time he saw a cat with violet eyes.

Nilibot niya ang tingin sa paligid at nasa Faegika pala siya. Nakatayo siya sa gilid ng Aena Tower at nalululang pinagmasdan ang tangkad nito.

"Hibi!"

"Are you Hibi?" he asked the cat.

Hindi sa pusa nanggaling ang boses.

"Wake up. Don't just sleep there. You got dreams to conquer."

Napakunot ang noo niya habang pinapakinggan ang boses. Nasa isipan niya lang ba ito?

Bumuntonghininga naman siya at muling nilagay ang pusa sa lupa.

Dreams, huh? Why did he even have a dream in the first place? Because he didn't like the idea of the treaty? Because he wanted co-existence? Or because he was afraid to lose a reason to live?

If he could think about it, he found it funny now. After losing his friend, was he still deserving to dream?

Lis didn't mind sacrifices, but not one of his people. They were his and he would always going to keep them. He would never allow them to get hurt just for him. He should be their protector and not the other way around.

And he failed. "I failed."

"Are you tired? Come on! Stop that, they're waiting for you. You still got a lot of things to do, Lis. You got a lot of reasons to live."

Hindi maintindihan ni Lis ang ibig sabihin ng boses ngunit napapanatag siya sa tuwing naririnig niya ito. A quick thought ran through his mind, wishing he could hear it forever.

"Wake up, Lis."

Parang kandilang nawalan ng liwanag ang biglang pagdilim ng paligid. Pumikit siya. Pagmulat niya ay isang kayumangging kisame na ang sumalubong sa kaniya.

"Lis, gising ka na. Aster! Gising na si Lis," sigaw ni Aryl na nakaupo sa kaniyang kama.

Sinubukan niyang igalaw ang mga kamay. Nabalot ng sakit ang buo niyang katawan at kahit na nahihirapan, nagawa niyang itaas ang mga braso. Doon niya lang nakita na punong-puno pala ito ng mga benda.

"Buti naman at gising ka na-ka. Limang araw ka ring tulog-ka," Cortez, on the other side of his bed, spoke.

'I was out for five days?'

"Si P-Pahima?" pilit siyang nagsalita kahit na tuyong-tuyo ang lalamunan niya. Buti naman ay dumating si Aster na may dalang tubig at ang paborito niyang Vege Sal.

Inalalayan siya ni Aryl at Aster na makaupo. Inabot niya ang tubig at kaagad itong tinungga. He felt like he hadn't drunk water for years. He was so thirsty.

"Dumaan siya rito kahapon. Sabi niya na posibleng masundan pa ang pag-atake ng mga Shadow sa atin. Hindi sila titigil hangga't hindi nila tayo napapatay," Aryl said.

"The magicians are also wondering about the traces of destruction, master, including the unexplainable withering of plants around the mainland."

"Pati sa flower shop ko iilan lang ang natirang buhay na mga bulaklak-ka."

It was because of his ultimate spell.

Lis sighed as he thought of the possible problems that might suffice sooner.

With his pained heart, he thought of ways that they needed to do. They were now being hunted. He had been ready for this since he decided to cross the boundary, but one thing he didn't expect was the existence of the Shadows leading him to too many questions. Too many things that he still needed to find out.

"Master, please don't do that again."

He glanced at his butler. Below of his eyes were dark. He must be tired nursing him for five days.

"You know that you don't have your Dragon Stone. Your body barely survives. If you cast another extreme spell, you might really die."

"I know." Kahit na nanghihina pa siya ay pinilit niyang ngumiti. Assuring him that he would be more careful next time.

Pansin niya naman si Aryl na umiwas ng tingin. She was probably feeling guilty because she had his Dragon Stone.

"Lis, sorry kung—"

"No. It's fine." Inabot niya ang Vege Sal na hawak ni Aster. Kanina pa kumukulo ang tiyan niya sa gutom. "None of this is your fault."

Kung mayroon mang sisisihin sa mga pangyayari, siya iyon dahil naging pabaya siya. Kung hindi lang siguro siya naglasing no'ng gabing iyon, sana hindi nakuha ang Dragon Stone niya at nakilala niya kaagad kung sino ang nagtangkang magnakaw.

"We need to leave soon," sabi niya habang hawak-hawak sa kamay ang isang piraso ng cabbage. Linunok niya muna ang kinain bago nagsalita ulit. "We can't stay here any longer. If we remain here, the Shadows will gonna return and hunt us again. We should not remain in one location."

"Saan tayo pupunta?" tanong ni Aryl.

Pinasadahan niya ng tingin ang dalawa. "Where else? H-district." Binaling niya ang tingin sa babae. "Aryl, we're going to find your sister."

Nagliwanag ang mukha nito at mabilis na tumango.

"And . . ." Tumigil siya sa pagkain at nilagay ang bowl sa kaniyang lap. "And we're going to find out who's behind all of this—who made the Shadows."

Napahigpit ang hawak niya sa bowl. After he'd obtain his Dragon Stone, he would make sure to make those people suffer. Hindi niya hahayaan itong mabuhay at magsaya na para bang wala silang kinuhang buhay.

"Understood, master." Nakakuyom ang mga kamao nitong nakatingin sa kaniya. Bakas sa boses ni Aster ang galit at determinasyon.

"Teka lang-ka."

Napunta ang atensyon nila kay Cortez nang bigla itong sumingit.

"Kung aalis kayong lahat-ka. Sino na magbabantay sa shop ko-ka?"

"Pasensya na, tanda. But we need to leave."

Nagsalita din si Aster, "You're pretty capable for an old man so why don't you do it yourself?"

"Mukhang wala na nga akong choice-ka." Napakamot ito sa ulo.

Muling humiga si Lis at pumikit. Nais niya pang magpahinga ngunit walang tigil ang utak niya sa mga posibleng susunod na mangyari. He came here just for his Dragon Stone, but he didn't expect it would turn out complicated.

Bigla namang sumagi sa isip niya ang boses sa kaniyang panaginip.

"You still got a lot of things to do, Lis."

Indeed. He got lot of things to do starting from this day.